A Mad Past, A Shattered Future
by Ahsilaa
Summary: When the Dollmaker was destroyed,Alice's Wonderland was left undisturbed but at a price. Now 117 years later, the legacy of Wonderland has been passed on to Annora Liddell along with the magic she'll inherit but is it enough? Something dark is coming, worse than Wonderland has ever faced and Annora must battle the Darkness. Can she survive with her sanity intact?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I:The Madness Ends**

It was him! The whole time I had believed that I was the cause of the fire, the cause of my family's deaths and all along it had been him! He had gained father's trust, sought out Lizzie and then _killed them all_ leaving me suffocating in my own guilt. But no more!

"You vile, oozing sore of depravity! Children wearing their names around their necks, as if they're breeding livestock!" The anger and hate burned through me as I recall the images of the poor children in Wonderland; the expression in their dead eyes.

"A declaration of their pedigree. You could use one, they're proud to display their provenance." Those words only fuel the burning hate more as he laughs at it.

"You brute! They can't even remember who they are or where they come from! How many minds have you twisted into forgetfulness?" I ask.

"Not enough," he answers and I can hear the annoyance in that simple sentence. "Yours would have been the triumph. Still you're an insane wreak. My work is done!"

_With that I suddenly find myself back in Wonderland. The anger that took over me was fuel enough to send my mind back here in order to fight and fight I will. _

_I run into the station and threw the doors that lead me to the Train and it is there that I see Hatter. "Hatter I must stop this Infernal Train and the evil force that drives it!"_

"_Everything's a nail is it miss Hammerhead? First it was a search to find freighted with fear and fragmented memories, now it's the train. Never time for tea! While you're brains on holiday, were ruined. Now were all mad here and that's a good excuse for going to hell in a teapot, but not for forgetting what your senses saw._

"_Forgetting's just forgetting, except when it's not. Then it's something else. I'd like to forget what you did but I can't."_

I am thrust out of the memory and glare at Bumby. "You've used me and abused me, but you will not destroy me!" I declare, almost to the point of shouting.

"No? The damage is done. The old Alice and her Wonderland retreat are demolished. You can't even recognize what's happened. And you're powerless to change it or move against me. I've made certain of that." Bumby crosses his arms, in a victorious manner.

"You corrupted my memories, but you failed to make me forget."

"I could've made you into a tasty bit. Clients out the door waiting for a piece from a raving delusional beauty, with no memory of the past, or no sense of the future. But you wouldn't forget; you insisted on holding on to your fantasies. You're mad. Like your sister." Bumby's words once again fill me with rage as he dares to speak of my Lizzie.

"Don't speak of her! You didn't know her... you have no right to mention any of them!" I yell.

"Your sister was a tease; pretended to despise me. She got what she wanted... in the end." Bumby said. He looks at his pocket watch, which had Lizzie's key at the end of the chain. The same key he used to lock her door for on the nigh of the fire.

Again a memory of my time in Wonderland washes over me as I remember.

"_My Lizzie…what's the train's destination?" I ask her. _

"_Madness and destruction. You shouldn't ask questions you know the answers to, it isn't polite. And that noise wasn't Lizzie talking in her sleep." Horror washes over me as I realize what had been happening to my poor dear Lizzie. "And there are no centaurs in Oxford. **Make your survival mean something or we are both doomed!**"_

"I'll see you charged. In prison, some half-wit bruiser will make you his sweetheart... and then you'll hang." I threatened him but he only laughs.

"Indeed? A hysterical woman, former lunatic, roaring outrageous accusations against a respectable social architect and scientist. My God, Alice, who would believe you? I scarcely believe it myself." Bumby states.

"You monstrous creature! Such evil will be punished!" It was a promise, not a threat and I would make sure of it.

"By whom? By what? Psychotic, silly bitch. Your madness will be punished. Now leave. I'm expecting your replacement." Bumby looks at his watch again but this time I step forward, snatch the key and turn to leave though something stops me.

I know Bumby is right. He will not be hung and no-one will believe me yet I must have my justice. My _family_ must have their justice and as I feel the vibrations of the coming train, I know exactly how that will happen.

This time I feel it happening; the transition into Wonderland. The Alice from Oxford is pushed aside and made was for my stronger self. I know as I look down that the dirty black and white dress is replaced with a clean, silky blue one. My hair grows longer and healthier... and I become more powerful.

I turned back to Bumby and know that the shock he is feeling is due not to my sudden change in clothes but the murdering look that lives in my eyes. I step forward, the train's engine echoing in the tunnel waiting for it to get close enough.

I hear the rumble of the train and smile at him maliciously as I walk towards him.

The look in his eyes is pure fear and my smile only becomes larger as I push him onto the tracks and watch, as the train catches onto him with a satisfying crunch and I hope that he is still alive, if only a little to feel the pain that he has caused me for most of my life.

I have finally avenged my family's deaths, and it was as if a huge burden was leaving me, my mind, body and soul.

I exit the station and in shock I see that my Wonderland was no longer mine. Buildings were twisted with trees; mushrooms grew from the streets and from buildings, and the sun was shining with hope of a better day.

I walk up to where the asylum used to be and stared at its Londerland counterpart. It was blocked with no way around it and as I look around I hear Chess' voice around me.

"Ah Alice, we can't go home again. No surprise really; only few find the way, and most of them don't recognise it when they do. Delusions too die hard, only the _savage_ regard the endurance of pain as the measure of worth.

"_Forgetting_ pain is continent. Remembering it, _agonizing_. But recovering the truth is worth the suffering. And our Wonderland, _though_ damaged, is safe in memory…for now.

* * *

In the dark of the night in a bed in the furthest reaches of Scotland, a young girl awoke in a cold sweat. Her dreams all but forgotten except for one thing; something dark was coming and very soon it would take over.

There only was one thought running through her mind:

Their Wonderland would once again shatter.

**Hi, new story obviously but I can only update every two weeks. Now i hope you enjoy and remember, reviews are always welcome. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II: When Has Madness Ever Hurt You?**

Annora Liddell was many a thing. At a glance she was a beautiful, innocent looking child; her eyes the brightest emerald green with golden flecks throughout her pupil, the darkest raven black hair and a pale porcelain skin tone that would make a china doll glower with envy.

However – as we all know – appearances can very deceiving and while up to a certain age she was the outgoing, bubbly and well-mannered child (she had been taught the manners of a lady from a young age), it was after her seventh birthday when the changes began.

It is on the night before however that our story really begins. It starts with an anxious child, a talking cat, and a wish.

Annora found herself counting the minuets as the time ticked slowly by on the small clock besides her bed.

The tick-tock of the clock seemed to be slowing down, teasing and taunting her as if to say _look at me, I can be as slow as I want and there is nothing you can do about it!_

Her mother had told her that her birthday would come soon enough, if only she went to sleep however she should not have because once somebody says something to a small child, he or she tend to do the exact opposite.

The clock ticked again and Annora looked at it once more; another minuet had passed and so lessened the total amount that needed to also pass before she could wake her family at a 'reasonable hour.' But it was still taking too long and Annora sighed as she sat up from her bed.

"There is _another _way," a purr sounded through the room.

Annora looked around suddenly, trying to find the source of the melodic voice. "Show your self!" She answered back.

"My, my, touchy are we not?" The voice mewled lazily. It did not seem concerned about anything or anyone but was simply…there.

"Would you not be if a strange voice sounded throughout your room?" She asked. Then, there was movement.

Right in the corner of her eye, something – her curtains – billowed. But there was no wind to move them; no, instead a small, fury creature with four legs jumped on to her bed.

A cat.

"Who, are you?" She asked the cat, watching momentarily as its long grey tail flickered to and fro as it sat on her bed almost regally.

"My name is of little importance, it is you who should be known." The cat told her but still Annora persisted.

I should take this moment to tell you that while Annora was an innocent child at this present moment in time, she was also at that stage of all children's lives where, they allowed everything and anything to be possible simply because they believed it to be true. It is a crucial time in children's lives and Annora's allowance of an open mind would help her greatly through the next few years in her life.

"If you must know, my _given_ name was once the Cheshire Cat. You may call me that to ease your mind however I _concur_; it is _you're_ name that is more important."

"What importance could my name possibly have?" The girl asked the cat quietly. "And why did you tell me there was another way to quicken the passing time?"

"_All_ will be revealed my dear Annora. You have taken this road once before only to have failed near the end. You _must_ right the wrongs of the past, but to do this you will need strength, courage and belief." Annora's head fell to the side as the Cheshire Cat told her the words.

"But what must I do?" She asked him eagerly.

"You must _wish_." With those words, the cat disappeared. It quite literally disappeared into nothingness leaving only Annora behind, though she did not want that.

Annora wished dearly that she could follow the odd cat to wherever he was and her wishes only got stronger as she closed her eyes. She wished and wished, more than she had ever done so before and when she opened her eyes, it was not the darkness of her bedroom that greeted her, but another world entirely.

Looking around she noticed Chess sitting on a log with a large grin on his face. "_Welcome_ my dear Annora, to _Wonderland_.

Annora started, bewildered at the scene around her. In front of her eyes, she had somehow been transported to a place one only could know from imagination, but as she knew already, that did not stop it from being any less real.

Where she had landed was a place of beautiful oddness. Annora was on a patch of green grass, the greenest she had ever seen. There was a cliff and as she walked over to it, she found domino's stuck together, hovering in the air among the white clouds.

_What a peculiar land,_ she thought as she turned to look once more; there were orange flowers that looked remarkably like the jug her mother used and near them was a river, too deep to cross but to wide to jump.

"I see you found your way." The purring voice of Chess surprised her and Annora jumped in surprise. He grinned oddly and his tail swished around in the air.

"Yes, you were no help though." Chess only grinned wider and continued to stare at her. "Where did you say we were again?" She asked him.

"Wonderland." Annora opened her mouth to ask more but Chess continued. "Wonderland is a place of wonder. There are very few who possess the power to come here in their dreams and fewer still to come here in reality."

Annora looked around the place in wonder. She understood its namesake but there was something grating on her mind. "Why me?" She asked.

"You are a Liddell. A direct descendant to Alice. It was her wish that _created_ Wonderland, it is _she_ that journeyed here, it was her place of sanctuary and it was she that _protected_ it from those it needed protecting from.

"Wonderland has not _always_ been a place of happiness. But you must not fret child. It is now yours to do with what you will." Annora looked at Chess in confusion. She had once heard of Alice Liddell but merely in passing. Her father had mentioned her once in company and Annora had been only four years of age at the time.

She had asked later on once again who Alice was but neither her father nor mother wished to answer her. In fact, it seemed to upset them every time she did and so Annora quickly learned to leave it very much alone lest she was punished.

Now however she wished she had asked more. Annora vowed to search her family tree until she found the ever eluding Alice Liddell. For now, she would enjoy exploring Wonderland. The question was…how.

"Wonderland is quite strange," she began. "How is one to find her way?"

"The same way you travelled here. _You wish_." With those words, Chess disappeared, leaving the young girl to find her own way through the madness.


	3. Chapter III

WELL IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE LONGER THAN TWO WEEKS, SORRY BUT HERE IS THE THIRD CHAPTER. ENJOY.

**Chapter III: A Wonder Through Wonderland**

Annora sighed as she watched Chess disappear. While it was still somewhat unusual, the young girl found herself familiarising with the act because it seemed as though he, like everything else in the odd land, was a mystery; a mystery Annora was willing to unravel.

It was then that she noticed that her outfit had changed; gone was her white night gown her mother had dressed her in for bed, and gone where the plaits her mother had done her hair in to keep it from becoming too unruly tomorrow.

Replacing it was a deep blue dress that went down past her knees and ruffled out past her waist. The sleeves were puffy and she had a white apron at the front of her dress with small pockets at the front which were barely visible. Straining to see the back of the dress, Annora noticed that she had a large white bow which obviously kept the apron on. On her feet was a pair of dainty flat black shoes that had a strap across her feet keeping them on. Experimentally, she wiggled her feet and found that the shoes were exactly the right size.

Annora's hair had changed as well. Her hair was open and in the bottom was in large ringlets that seemed to join the hair together at the front. The back was mainly straight, but slightly wavy, just as her hair was in the Normal World. Annora patted the top of her head and found a small Alice Band at the top of her head. She smiled slightly at the thought but carried on looking at her reflection. (She was still too young to understand the term irony.)

Now as you have been told, Annora was a girl on the eve of her seventh birthday; suffice to say, she was still a young girl. And if you were to ask any parent about a child their age, they would say two things; the first being that the child would ask many a question, for seven was the age of questioning, and the second being that a child of that age would not be able to stand still in a place of interest long without getting curious.

And that was exactly what happened.

Annora huffed and began looking for places to travel in the magical land. Her eyes fell upon a stone path that would lead her through the small river and over to the other side of the bank and she quickly followed it.

As she hopped across she saw a statue of a woman with her hand held out. The statue also seemed to be a waterfall and as the water leaked from her eyes Annora watched with wonder; it made the statue look like she was crying.

Annora walked up to it and scooped some of the water into her hand. It was cold. Not freezing but a pleasant temperature and she lifted the water to her lips and drank. The water was the sweetest water she had ever tasted and she hummed with pleasure.

Curiosity quickly overcome her however and she continued to make her way through the path that seemed to be made for her.

Not that far ahead, Annora noticed something white moving up and down. Moving closer she saw a white rabbit with a blue waist coat and a golden pocket watch and her eyes widened in surprise.

The surprise was not yet over however because as she got closer to it she heard it say, "Oh dear, I truly am late for tea with the Queen. She will have my head if I do not find those roses."

Now, Annora was a kind girl, and when someone needed help, she would try to help them as best as she could and so, it was these kindnesses that lead her up to the rabbit. "Hello?" The rabbit jumped and frantically looked around. "Oh I'm sorry; I did not mean to startle you. I merely overheard that you were looking for roses and I thought I could help."

The rabbit peered closely at her, tilting it's head to the side before taking out a pair of spectacles and putting them on.

When he did so he gasped loudly and hopped up to her. "Alice? Is that you my dear? You seem to have grown younger. You must have befriended Time."

Annora looked slightly alarmed at who the Rabbit was suggesting she looked like, for Annora had been born many years after Alice Liddell and yet, to those in Wonderland, time moved differently because as the White Rabbit had mentioned, many of them had befriended time.

It was also to be said that Annora held many a features of Alice herself. The same raven hair, the same emerald eyes, the same pale skin and the same shape of lips. So it was not surprising that she had been mistaken for Alice.

"Your mistaken sir, my name's Annora Liddell but I would very much like to help you with the roses." She told the rabbit sweetly giving him a small smile at the end of her sentence.

"Hmm," he seemed to look down for a brief second and his eyes caught the time on the small pocket watch in his hand. "Oh dear, I am late!" He said once again and began frantically searching the bushes for roses.

Annora found herself looking as well and as she was she came across a bush with white roses on them. "Why, there are roses here." She told him pointing to them. The White Rabbit didn't even look over to where she was pointing.

"They won't do. The Queen will take nothing more than red roses."

"Well you could always paint the roses red." Annora suggested thoughtfully. The Rabbit stopped the pacing he had begun and looked at her.

"Pardon?"

"I said you could always _paint_ the roses red. Why I could wish for some paint right now." And with that Annora wished she had a cup or red that she would be able to paint the roses with and just like that she felt her picket begin to weigh down.

When she reached into it she was mildly surprised to find that there was a cup and two brushes with red paint. "Here you go," Annora said, handing over the cup.

She took a brush and began painting the roses red and just as she had suggested, the roses began to turn – first a lovely shade of pink but then a blooming red.

"Oh thank you, thank you!" The Rabbit said hopping about on the spot. He collected a bunch of the roses and then, looked at his pocket watch. "Oh dear, I'm late!" With that he turned and hopped off leaving Annora once again alone in Wonderland.

"What a strange Rabbit," she murmured to herself and then jumped as she heard a purr behind her. "Would you please not do that?" She asked. Chess only grinned at her showing all his teeth.

"It is _time_ for you to return to the Normal World Annora." He purred.

"Oh must I? I am having so much fun discovering Wonderland." She asked pleadingly. It was true; she could not wait to explore more of the land. She wanted to see where the White Rabbit was going; she wanted to have tea with the Queen.

"Do not fret young one, you will return. But for now you must return, you do have a birthday today am I not mistaken?"

"That's right." Truth be told she had forgotten all about her birthday but now she remembered and was eager to see if Chess' promise was fulfilled. "Will I see you back home?" She asked.

"Ohh you'll see me sooner than you know." With that promise Annora wished she were back home in her bed and when she opened her eyes, she found the light streaming through her bedroom window and the covers over her.

The funny thing was that Annora didn't feel like she had been up all night, she felt very much awake; as if she had slept for a day. _Curious,_ she thought to herself and sat up in her bed.

The door opened and her mother's head popped through the door. "You're awake." She said cheerfully. "Happy birthday sweetie." _Yes, it is isn't it. _

For Annora now had her own secret world where she could go whenever she pleased and she couldn't be more excited about it. It truly was the best birthday she had ever had, and it had only just begun.


	4. Chapter IV

**Well sorry for the ling delay, i've been busy with GCSE's but im done for a while. Anyway, here it is. **

* * *

**Chapter IV: The Letter**

After that first visit to Wonderland, Annora began visiting it frequently; always exploring a new part of it with Chess as her companion throughout the whole experience.

On the third time she wished her way into Wonderland she managed to meet the White Rabbit again and this time have tea with the Red Queen. True to Rabbit's words, she very nearly did chop off his head but when she was Annora, she paused and allowed the Rabbit to keep his head.

On the fifth time, Annora met the Caterpillar, who constantly puffed on a cigar. It was an odd meeting where he asked her several questions in which the main one seemed to be 'who are you?' And in each time she would answer with her name.

Eventually Chess interrupted her. "Her name is Annora Elisabeth Liddell." The Caterpillar seemed to be so shocked that he momentarily paused in his puffing. It only lasted a second however because after that he shook it off and ushered them off and began wrapping himself in something. The next time Annora saw him he was a magnificent butterfly (who was still smoking the cigar.)

Annora's life continued like this and as the years passed, she made friends with various Wonderland creatures and people.

There weren't many significant landmarks in her life, but the ones that marked it were a larger scale than any normal human being. Her first being on her seventh birthday, the second was on her eleventh birthday.

Throughout the night, Annora had been playing with her cat Shayna. She had made a discovery a couple of years ago; if someone was holding on to her while she Wished, she could take them to Wonderland as well. She wasn't sure of it worked with humans but she decided that if it worked on animals, it was probable that it would work with people.

Shayna was as fun loving as Annora was; she tried to catch the butterflies, the Mad Hatter would happily allow her to play with the ruffle on his hat whilst drinking tea with Alice and the Red Queen would allow Shayna to run after the crochet balls when they were hit.

The two would play together, along with various other Wonderland creature throughout the night, only to return to the Normal World and play together during the day. The two were inseparable.

That morning however, the morning of her eleventh birthday, Shayna was not where she usually was.

Worriedly, Annora climbed out from her bed and ran down the stairs into the dining room where her mother usually was this time of morning. "Mother, have you seen Shayna? She was not in our room this morning."

Mrs Liddell turned to frown slightly at her daughter. Annora looked nothing like her mother and at certain times, she wondered how she was related to the woman because, while her mother was kind and gentle, she could also turn for the worse.

Her bright blue eyes seemed to stare into Annora's soul and pick out what she had done wrong – whether on accident or not. It was unnerving but Annora had learnt how to distinguish the good days from the bad; if her mother was having a good day, her chestnut brown hair would be out, flowing over her shoulder and her rose red lips would hold the most beautiful smile Annora had ever seen.

If it was a bad day, her eyes would be cold, and hard. Her lips drawn back into a thin line and her hair would be tied back; usually in a bun or an old fashioned knot. It was on those days that Annora would usually spend her days in Wonderland, relying on Chess to tell her when her mother was calling for her.

Today it seemed, was a day Annora was not prepared for. Her mother's eyes were sparking, but her hair was tied back into a knot. Annora had never seen this before, she didn't know what to make of it and so she relied on her natural instinct.

"I'm sorry mother, I didn't mean to disturb you," she said quietly. "Only, Shayna is missing and I became worried for her." While wondering whether or not she should look up, Annora's glance fell on a pair of black flat shoes.

It intrigued her as her mother would never wear flat shoes, she was quite a bit shorter than her father and she disliked not being able to look her husband in the eyes.

Annora chanced a glance at the woman's legs – she knew it was a woman simple because the shoes were designed for a woman – and saw that she was old. Older than her mother, possibly as old as her grandmother. She was wearing a robe type dress, one that Annora had never seen before.

"Annora," her mother said sharply. Annora's head shot down and she apologised once again. "It's fine. This is Professor McGonagall. She is here to explain some things to you." On that note, her mother stood from her seat and walked towards the door, leaving Annora alone with the woman.

"Good morning," she said politely to the professor. "Please excuse my current state of dress. I wasn't aware that my mother had a visitor. I apologise if you were offended." Not quite knowing what to do, Annora stood where she was, fiddling with her night gown.

"You haven't offended me Annora, in fact, it's my fault. My visit was quite a last minute one but there is a reason for it." She reached into a pocket in the robe and pulled out a white envelope. It read;

Miss Annora. E. Liddell

The script was painted an emerald green, with cursive writing. It was supposed to look hand-written but, Annora noticed, there was something about it that made it seem too neat. Too perfect.

Annora opened the read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY _

_Headmaster: __Albus Dumbledore__  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, __International Confed__. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Liddell,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at __Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry__. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress_

Calmly, Annora folded up the letter, put it back in the envelope and handed it back to the professor. "Thank you for coming, professor but I believe you should return to wherever you came from."

Minerva McGonagall was a woman who had seen many astounding and shocking things in her life. She had seen a number of reactions, from weeping, to anger to shock but never before had she seen this. McGonagall didn't even know what this reaction was.

"I assure you that this is the best place to be. The school is specially designed to help home and develop your magic. It would be in your best interest to go to Hogwarts; a Witch or Wizard's magic is unstable at this stage and could have disastrous consequences if they are not taught to control it." Annora's head tilted to the side slightly seeming to be listening to the professor, listening, but not listening.

"Now if you're concerned about fitting in or not being good enough you need not worry, many muggle born children go through the same thing."

Annora was still staring at her; it was funny. The professor believed that she didn't think there was magic in the world when she had been using it since she was seven – how else could she explain her Wonderland. It was interesting seeing her reaction to Annora's behaviour, _interesting, _she supposed, _but it's probably best to explain now._

"Professor, allow me to explain my actions. I returned the letter because it has no use to me. I fully intend to go to Hogwarts, however, and please excuse my bluntness, I will not be needing the schools help." Annora watched as the professor's face changed from the smiling woman to a shocked face.

Professor McGonagall felt her cheeks begin to get hotter. She could only assume it was because of Annora's words however, it also had something to do with the fact that she had been disregarded by an eleven year old.

Never had it been done before and so she did the only thing she could do. Picking up her skirts, she raised her wand and looked at the green-eyed child. "I shall expect to see you at Hogwarts on September 1st. Good day Miss Liddell."

A crack sounded through the room as the professor disappeared. Annora's only reaction was to blink and move from the dining room to her mother's study.

She knocked on the door lightly, only entering when her mother allowed her to. Annora went to stand next to the desk her mother worked on, waiting patiently for her mother to finish her work. When her mother was finished she looked up at her daughter. "Yes?"

"You were not surprised that the professor was here for me where you mother?" There was not a single emotion on her mother's face at the accusation Annora had cast. She only continued looking at her, waiting for her to continue. "You knew. Why did you not tell me?"

"That knowledge was of little importance to you." Her mother told her brusquely. "It had no relevance to your current state and your father and I saw no reason to release it to you."

Annora's emerald eyes flashed so quickly, no human would be able to distinguish the emotion that sped through them. "'No relevance' mother? If you and father were discussing it, it implies that you already knew!" Her fists clenched, trying to keep the anger at bay. "Do you deny it?"

"As I have said before, it is none of your concern. On the 28th of this month, your father and I will take you to get your school supplies. Be ready promptly at 9.30 to travel into London." It was a clear dismissal; Annora knew it well however she was not yet ready to leave.

Both her mother _and_ her father had hid a secret for her so big that it was going to change her life forever. It didn't matter that she already knew of the magic that coursed through her blood – she was unsure that either parent was aware – what mattered was that there was a different magic. And they had deceived her about it.

**-O—O—**

A soft purr awoke her gently and Annora felt Shayna's fur stroke her cheek. It had been one of the very few times she had actually slept through the night instead of travelling to Wonderland. Chess, it seemed was aware of what had happened and advised the young girl to rest instead of wondering. "It is sometimes _best_ to have natural sleep my dear," he had told her, "lest you begin to rely too deeply upon Wonderland." And so she had followed his advice knowing that Chess was knowledgeable in those types of matters.

As she understood it, her mother and father were taking her to London to get the supplies needed for her school year.

Annora had been to London many a time over the last few years. It was longwinded as she and her family lived in Scotland. They took trains, and sometimes planes to get there so when her father told her she need not pack for anything, Annora was confused.

Still, she followed instructions and met them downstairs where both her parents were standing next to their fireplace. "Ah Annora, good. Now we are leaving for London though you have never travelled like this before." Her mother took a handful of powder from the pot on the left that Annora had never noticed before.

Once there she had grabbed the handful, she went and stood in the fireplace and with a loud, "Diagon Alley," she was engulfed in a rush of green fire.

Annora stood in her spot, staring at where her mother had once been. "It's fine my dear," her father told her, staring at his daughter.

Annora turned to her father and smiled brightly. "That was a_mazing_!" She exclaimed, "how did mother do that?" Her father chuckled lightly before holding out his hand. Enthusiastically, she ran to her father and grabbed his hand.

"Here," he handed her the pot with the powder in it. "Take a handful of this and say very clearly, the name of the place you want to go. In this case, the place is called Diagon Alley."

Annora did what he asked and took a pinch of the grey dust. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth slightly before saying in a loud and clear voice, "Diagon Alley." She saw the green flames for only a second before she felt a whooshing feeling through her body; pushing and pulling her in various ways.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw that she was in a different building. The walls were a dull brown and there was a sort of musty but homey smell in the air.

Many different people were crowded around tables, cradling mugs and talking about things that the eleven year old girl had no interest in. Annora was too busy comparing her trips to and from Wonderland, and her trips here.

Her conclusion: She preferred Wonderland.

Besides her, her father watched his daughter carefully. She was displaying no signs of shock, or any other emotion apart from a mild annoyance. However, Mr Liddell was not worried; for Annora hadn't displayed any signs of the wretched Disease that other family members had displayed. Indeed, the only odd thing about his daughter was that she preferred a solitary company to that of others.

He concluded that she was incredibly mature for her age. That wasn't something that caused either himself or his wife worry at all. So he smiled when he caught her gaze and took hold of her hand. "So my dear, I believe a visit to Gringotts is in order."

**-O—O—**

"One more for Hogwarts I assume," a old and greying man greeted her as Annora walked through the door of what her father had told her was a wand shop. She hummed in agreement and waited for him to tell her what to do – all the while, her green eyes fluttering around the room. "Hold out your wand hand my girl."

Annora held out her left arm; she could use either, but her left hand fell under preference so she used it the most. The old man measured her arm and turned abruptly, heading for his back room, only to return a few seconds later with a box in hand. "Phoenix Feather Redwood – 8 ¾ inches. Much like you're mother's it is a wand suited for charms."

She held the wand in her hand and gave it a little flick but nothing happened. The man snatched the wand out of her hand and went to get another box. Annora thought it very rude and frowned slightly. "Unicorn Hair Yew 9in," he said returning. Once again she gave it a flick and once again nothing happened.

This carried on repeatedly, the man – whose name was Ollivander – gave her wands and nothing would happen. Annora estimated this went on for half an hour before Ollivander was ready to tug out his hair.

"Are you _sure_ Edmund? No wand has responded at _all_!" Ollivander exclaimed. Her father hushed him quickly, and took him to the front, too far for Annora to hear. She ignored them both though, choosing to walk through the columns of boxes at the back of the shop.

It was old, musty and filled with dust ridden boxes – some filled with wands, and some laying there bear for the world to see.

There was a faint humming from somewhere in the shop and it wasn't an unpleasant sound. In fact, Annora found it quite calming, like it was a mother's lullaby just for her and her alone to hear and she wondered where it was coming from.

Making her way further into the shop, Annora found that it was going back much too far for it to realistically be this size and so she concluded, – like any rational person, that the sop had been made using some sort of magic.

However, whilst she had been thinking, the humming had been growing louder. _Perhaps it is closer than I first imagined, _she thought. It was possible, it had to be. The humming was getting to be almost unbearably loud and she found that covering her ears did nothing to help.

"One _should_ perhaps make a wish when the _time_ calls upon it, no?" Annora jumped at the sudden purr near her ear. With exasperation, the girl turned a fiery glare towards the black and grey cat that had made his presence known.

"Time and time again I have asked you to not do that Chess. One day soon, you may give me a heart attack." The cat's grin grew large as he looked at her, and Annora – though she would never reveal it - once again found his sharp and pointed teeth slightly intimidating.

"Suggestions are made to be _listened_ to Annora." The girls held back an eye roll. Instead, she closed her eyes and wished she could find the source of the humming.

Immediately, a box flew out of a pile in an unseen corner and landed neatly in Annora's hand. Smiling slightly, she lifted open the lid and in its nest, lay the most beautiful thing Annora had seen.

It's shape was like an extended tear, larger at the top – where she suspected she was supposed to hold it - and pointed towards the bottom. Its colour was like molten silver; shimmering, pure and mysterious. It glistened without a source of light and Annora could only imagine what it would look like in the sun.

In an almost ironic manner, there were small, emerald vines entwining themselves with golden leaves and small ruby stones, the leaves of the vines in what Annora would later realize where emeralds.

Each entwining vine and glittering leaf seemed to fuse together at the tip and turning the most contrasting glossy black Annora had ever seen and – surrounding the base where the words: _Uirtute Rapit Curiositas_.

Having never taking Latin, Annora didn't understand what it meant but promised herself that she would soon learn. One could never have to many talents.

The wand was what was making the humming sound. It burst to life when she picked it up, and something in the back of her mind began humming, a connection of sorts had formed and whatever it was, Annora could feel the wand vibrating happily at the back of her mind.

Placing the wand delicately back into the box she closed the lid and walked calmly back to the front where her father and the shop keeper were still talking heatedly. She cleared her throat and the two of the turned rapidly and looked at her.

"I've found my wand."

* * *

**The words are Latin and they mean 'Courage Takes Curiosity' which i think suits Annora well. **

**BTW it's my birthday today so reviews would be AWESOME!**


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